Monday, August 25, 2008

Blackwater Blog Weekend: The Reckoning

I have to go to work in ten minutes. Just the highlights:

1. I had some adventures I'll tell you about later. Suffice it to say that you can't get a tow truck in St. Louis at 2:00 (or 3:00) a.m. 24/7 my broad white butt. Anyway, I rolled into the driveway at 6:00 a.m. It is now 7:15; time to go to work. It's going to be an interesting day. I'm a little bleary because I spent all weekend shooting like a madman and then didn't sleep last night, but at least I'm looking professional in my Blackhawk kiss-ass polo and my rigger's belt (because who knows when that might come in handy?)

2. I have 421 pictures, including some videos, loading now. Probably be awhile before you see them.

3. Did you know there's a zombie simulator at Blackwater? Neither did I. It's awesome.

4. Guessing game: Can the TSA's Reveal Imaging CT-80 scanner detect a steel/aluminum pistol and one box of ammunition packed in an ordinary pistol case? Place your bets; I'll tell you this evening. I'll also tell you who had the biggest brass ones in the shoot house (hint: you probably don't know his name, and it is a "him.")

5. Others have written about the LDA pistol Para-USA provided for the weekend. I'm not going to get all analytical right now, because I'm out of time and my pregnant co-teacher is going to blind me with a plastic spoon if I'm late. I'll just say this: I'm selling one my guns and buying that one. If you know me, you know that's not something I do without thinking it over. More follows. . .

6. Big THANKS again to Dan at International Cartridge Company, Thanos and Kerby and Todd Jarrett at Para-USA, Agent 4325XP at Blackwater, and Travis and the guys at Crimson Trace. We kid that we like Dan the best because . . . well, he kept shoving free ammo in front of us like some weird Sicilian grandma . . . but all these people came together to give me the opportunity of a lifetime, and I mean that literally. I don't think I'll ever make it back to Blackwater, and there's no way I could have gone this time if I'd had to provide my own room and board, ammunition, tuition . . . it was just impossible until these people called me up one day and said "Would you like to go to Blackwater and shoot with Todd Jarrett?"

4 comments:

Bear in mind that the original winner might have been some person that just isn't into guns that was only voting at the request of one of the bloggers trying to win. If there was a parallel to this with fashion designers, and I won as a result of voting to help a friend, I know I'd pass on that as well.